Never Again- now I remembered why I said that.

Yesterday was the big day- and what a day it was. From 3pm until I was warm in my bed at 11:30pm it was crazy. We decided we needed to leave pretty early to get there (the race started at 5:30 PM), so we figured we'd leave the house at 3. After dropping off Siege, and picking up my good friend and fellow racer Lee Ann, we literally were running to the start line.

We had no time to drop off our bags, so we had to ditch everything that wasn't valuable and run with the rest. Which means we have come home, two pairs of gloves, 1 pair of sweat pants, and 2 beanies lighter. The strip was insane. When we got to Mandalay Bay, we saw exactly what 44,000 people in one group looked like.

After pushing our way through the mosh pit of bodies, we finally made it to our wave for take off (Corral 16). We took off about 20 minutes after the first wave started. It was so fun at the beginning. The bands were entertaining and there were spectators cheering on the sidelines pretty much the whole way. Chris had decided he wanted to stick with me for the whole race. It was awesome having him right by my side the whole time.

Around mile 2 I found my cheering section, Katie & Tricia. It was so fun to see them on the sidelines. I felt pretty good setting into my pace even though I was weaving through people for about 6 miles. For the entire length of the race there were massive amounts of people around. Anytime the road narrowed, everyone had to slow down to squish together. The way back was pretty tough. By mile 8 my legs and hip flexors were in pain, which is what normally happens to me during my runs. After I passed mile 10 I remember looking at my GPS watch every 2 minutes hoping that I had magically completed another mile only to realize my pace was getting slower and slower. Chris was right behind me. Every once in a while I'd ask him how he was doing. At first he said things like, "Great!" and "Good." Then he'd say things like, "How far have we gone now?" and "My legs are starting to feel it".

At mile 11 I started hoping to see a water station. Thinking I just needed a little more water to keep me going. At 11.6 the water station came and my stamina went. I looked at Chris and said, "What do you think about just walking for a little bit?" Chris had no objections, and welcomed the idea. During my 200 plus miles of training up to this point, I had never stopped to "walk a bit". I had run every step of every mile so I didn't know that when you stop to "walk a bit," you don't want to run anymore. As a matter of fact, you hurt so bad that you just want to lay down in the middle of the dirty street. Running the risk of being trampled by a crowd of thousands sounds more appealing than running again.

At first we start walking at a brisk pace, then we began to slow to a leisurely walk and by the end we were limping into the finish line. What was even worse than all of that was how cold I was. After 11.6 miles of running, we got pretty sweaty, so we had to walk a mile and a half in the freezing cold weather- soaking wet. Then after we crossed the finish line we had to walk about another mile to get inside a building. By this point, I'm shaking uncontrollably and my body is numb. After sitting down for 30 minutes I realize that our car is not going to magically pick us up and we decide to make the long trek back to the parking garage. Walking back through the Mandalay Bay Convention center was a nightmare. We were back to being smashed together like sardines. This race is not recommended for those who are claustrophobic. Finally by 10:45 we were home.

This morning I woke up feeling pretty disappointed that we just didn't run the whole thing. Now, 13 hours later, I'm sitting here shivering with a runny nose and a head that feels the size of a watermelon. Oh well, I guess that will be my goal for the next race I run... because I've learned my lesson, never say never.

Siege's 1st shiner

Siege has officially gotten his first shiner. What crazy things has my little guy been up to that would cause such a traumatic event??

Well...

1. Siege climbs onto anything and everything, including but not limited to couches, chairs, slides, stairs, dishwashers and toys.

2. The doggy door is one of Siege's favorite sources of entertainment. Our doggy door is raised off the ground which makes crawling through it a little more challenging than you would imagine.

3. He purposely bonks his head on brick walls, people, & doors. Then he gets this giant grin on his face like he's the funniest person ever for thinking up this incredible new trick. I'm giving G-G-pa credit for showing him this one.

4. He now tries to climb into the bath tub on his own, but attempts this by sort of planking the edge of the tub and then teetering back and forth until he eventually falls face first into the tub.

... yet none of these wild toddler behaviors were the cause. His mother dropped him...on his face...on the tile. And...to make matters worse as Siege was screaming his, I'm turning bright red, not really breathing, kind of cry, I nonchalantly calmed him down as if it were no big deal. Then as I went to change his diaper I saw the damage that I had done. A giant blood pocket started to form below his eye. I called Chris before putting Siege in his car seat and driving him strait to the ER.

"He's got his first black eye!" said Chris excitedly as I stood by the changing table in horror...

There goes my chances at mother of the year.

Super Siege

It seems like this past month has been huge for Siege in terms of development. He can clap his hands, which I've heard some babies do at like 9 months but Siege just started and now he loves to clap all the time. He also has started waving hello and shaking his head no. Of course he doesn't perform on command or else I would have had video of all this to share with you. He is too busy for pictures these days so all of his pictures end up looking like a big blur. I think that means I may have to resort to a real camera and not only depend on my iphone. He is loving the backyard and is finally walking sturdy enough to not fall over at each bump in the sidewalk- which minimizes my panic attacks by almost 50%. Siege has finally mastered "mama" and "dada" and he uses them when he wants our attention, but also when he wants Nadi's attention or grandma's attention, so we're giving him partial credit. For the past week he has been waking up between 6:45 & 7:00 which is sooooooo much better than the 5:15- 5:30 (pre-sun) wake up call I had been getting.

On my end, I'm still going strong with the running. I did 7 miles on Saturday and I've got 8 for the long run this week. Chris and I also got a living social deal for CrossFit. We've done it 3 times now, and each time we've been pathetically (can't even pick up Siege) sore afterward. My mom has committed to babysitting for us 3 times a week so Chris and I can work out together. Chris and I have never worked out together unless you count golf as working out, which was years ago, so spending this new time together has been really fun.

Halloween is coming up and we are definitely looking forward to some trick-or-treating and parties! Here's a little sneak peak of Super Siege!

Confessions of a lazy mother...

Lately- I have been in a funk. I'm hoping I can write the funk right out of me. I haven't coupon'd in several weeks, my eating habits/choices have been horrendous, and I am feeling tired all the time (which is most likely linked to my Cheezit diet). My only redeeming quality that I can feel semi-proud of is that I've stuck to my running/training schedule. It's saving me right now.

Today, at our MOPS meeting, we had a nutritionist come talk to us about the importance of feeding your kids fruits and vegetables, small portions, less preservatives etc. and what a big impact diet can have on behavior. It made me realize what a horrible planner I am when it comes to meals. I mean, Siege can down a can of spaghetti O's like nobody's business. The speaker had some really good ideas of how to spice up kids' lunches with variety. My favorite idea was her "Go to drawer". She says she has a drawer in her fridge and a basket in her pantry that her kids are allowed in when they say, "Mom, I'm hungry!" The drawers are loaded with fruits, veggies, nuts, deli meat, hummus, homemade cereal bars, etc. Anyway, obviously Siege doesn't say, "Mom, I'm hungry," but I was thinking I need a drawer like that for me- where everything else (dove chocolate, tortilla chips, Milano cookies, ) is off limits.

She also talked about how the serving size for toddlers is a Tablespoon! That's right, I said a Tablespoon. Siege ate about 1 cup of Mac n Cheese today. And, in my head I would justify it by saying, he'll just be hungry later if I don't keep feeding him.

Until the speaker said, "...And if you're feeding your child large portions because you're afraid they'll be hungry later- you must realize, they're supposed to be hungry later. Their stomachs are the same size as their fist."

It's scary to think I'm passing on my lazy eating habits to innocent Siege. He's not even demanding the pizza and french fries yet, but I'm passing them right on over because I don't plan healthy meals ahead, especially for lunches. Poor kid. And I don't even have the "I've got a newborn that doesn't let me sleep" excuse or the "I've got 2+ kids and no time to prepare" excuse. I've just got one- that still takes 2 naps daily. Plenty of time indeed.

Well, this debbie downer is turning her frown upside down. Good eating starts tomorrow! Well, maybe Monday...

Happy Birthday to Siege

It's official... our baby is one. I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment that we made it through the first year. It has been filled with ups and downs and my knowledge of babies and motherhood has grown tremendously.

The Downs (in no particular order)...

1. Diarrhea baby:

Self explanatory.

2. the NICU:

Siege spent 15 days in the NICU right after he was born because he came so early. Just thinking about it makes me sad. I do not know what it's like to take a baby home after delivery. I'm praying I'll get to experience this with my next baby. Even though I adored the NICU nurses, the NICU made me feel like the most helpless parent.

3. Sleepless nights:

Siege didn't sleep through the night until about 7 months. This made for one very tired mommy. He still will cry every once in a while but nothing like the first few months. That was rough!

4. Worry, worry, worry over every little thing:

I think I went to the Pediatrician every time Siege had a sniffle, which made for about 7 useless copays. Each time I went I got the same response, "Wait it out."

5. Nursing:

I know that some mothers love this more than anything and everything. I am not one of those mothers. It was demanding, painful at times, and it always seemed like it would take forever. Don't worry La Leche League, I'm still going to nurse my 2nd child because it's best for the baby. Just saying.

The up, up, UP's:

1. Experiencing a love I cannot put into words.

2. Development:

Nothing is cooler than watching Siege change or learn something new. I will never forget the first time Siege laughed. Chris and I were in the kitchen and I made some silly face and Siege laughed like he'd been laughing in his head all along but just finally figured out how to make the noise. Chris and I both looked like kids on Christmas.

3. Play dates:

I've mentioned this before in previous posts, but I have made some truly great friends this year.

4. Food:

Siege loves it and I love watching him eat it. I'm so lucky I don't have a picky eater.

5. Growing closer to my hubs:

We now cherish the time we get to spend together. Date nights can be few and far between so going out to dinner, just the two of us (something we used to do all the time), is a treasure. Plus any two people that can make as cute of a baby as ours were clearly just meant to be together.

6. Grandma & Grandpa/ Aunts & Uncles:

I love watching Siege interact with his grandparents and aunts/uncles. He's lucky enough to have 3 grandpas, 2 grandmas, 3 aunts, and 4 uncles. All of who live in Las Vegas and love him dearly. It is such a blessing for Siege to grow up with so much love.

7. Walking:

Everyone says mobility can be a nightmare and how hard it is once the baby's on the move. I agree that it can be challenging, but I like this stage so much more than I thought I would. He's so curious and happy.

8. Momma's boy:

I love that Siege is such a momma's boy. This might not be on Chris's list of ups, but it's definitely on mine. I love being the one he needs comfort from after he bonks his head or gets scared.

9. Babble:

There's nothing cuter than Da-da-da-da-da-fa-fa-la-la-la-nay-nay. Well I'm sure actual talking might be cuter, but he hasn't done that yet, so I'm enjoying all of his babble.

10. Runner baby:

I started running with Siege in the jogger stroller at about 4 or 5 months and he's always loved it. Just when he'd start to get crankier than I could handle I would go out for a jog and it would fix everything. He must have been antsy for me to lose the baby weight too. Now we're training for a 1/2 marathon together. He just did 40 minutes in the stroller without a peep.

11. Siege and his sister:

And by his sister- I mean Nadia of course. They play tug-o-war and share toys so well. It's very entertaining to watch.

12. Happy Siege:

He really is a good baby. Siege has been to Chicago, San Diego, and Laguna Beach and was great on all 3 trips. Lucky me!

Happy Birthday to my Happy little Siege.

Hints of fall in LV

 There's something about the rain, that gets me in a writing mood.  Last night we turned our AC off, and... it's still off!  I love being able to open up with windows and let the fresh air in.  Fall is my favorite time of year.  I know I'm probably jumping the gun with all this "fall" talk, considering 95 degrees is still in the forecast for later this week but I just can't help myself.  Fall means Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means cranberry sauce, stuffing, corn casserole, grandma's homemade rolls, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and turkey of course!  Chris's grandparents have hosted Thanksgiving in Cottonwood, AZ for the past 3 or 4 years.  We stay in these 10 X 10 cabins, hike, play games, do smores around the campfire, and have a great time visiting.  This year we've already RSVP'd and I can't wait!  I'm sure the experience will be completely different considering I'll be chasing Siege around everywhere.  The kid has no fear and I'm sure by Thanksgiving I'll be running to keep up with him.

Siege is in the get-into-everything-make-a-big-mess-for-mom-to-clean-up-over-and-over-again phase.  He has to examine every little thing he comes across and he wants to do it himself without mommy's help.  Which means I'm in constant fear of the disaster that lies ahead.  Just yesterday while I was out shopping, Chris sent me this pic of Siege on his latest exploration...

We finally got him a few good pairs of shoes so he can walk outside, which gives me even more anxiety every time he passes a curb or step. He doesn't want to be held anymore.  He's just about 25 pounds so I'm ok with that for the most part.  The tantrums have begun.  At first I thought they were the cutest things ever.  He'd tap his hands on the pantry door after I closed it and whined that his potato chips were no longer available to play with, but then forget 20 seconds later what he ever wanted.  Now the "whines" have turned into loud screams  and the "taps" have turned into loud bangs and the kicking has started.  I DO NOT like the tantrum phase.  Hopefully I come up with some ways to minimize this cranky behavior.

Siege is officially a dominant walker now.  It really makes him look like a big boy.



 Birthday party plans are in full swing.  One of my friends, the birthday party planner queen, has gotten me all excited about it.  Pinterest is loaded with ideas of games and decorations.  I think I'm really going to enjoy throwing birthday parties for my kiddos.  We're bringing in an elephant for Siege's 1st birthday party.  Kidding- but Chris already thinks I'm getting a little too carried away.  It should be a good time.

I haven't missed a day of 1/2 marathon training yet.  We are in week 3 and are going to run 5 on Saturday.  Not anything too unbearable so far, but pretty soon 5 will be my short runs.  Siege has been doing great in the stroller.  We did 3.5 together on Monday and he seemed to hang in there just fine.  We were supposed to go this morning... I had my watch on, my shoe laces tied and I open up the garage to some pretty good rainfall.  Hopefully I'll be able to go this afternoon.

Chris has started on another handy-man project in his spare time- shelves in our garage.  It seems like these days we can never have enough storage space.  Between fantasy football, his garage project, and all the running he's been doing to train for this half (wink wink) he's staying pretty busy.

My sis-in-law had her beautiful baby on Sept. 6th.  Exactly 11 months younger than Siege.  I have a feeling they're going to be great playmates and they just might look alike too.  I think the baby is definitely a Gifford!  

Baby Zoa

9 lbs 6 oz (BIG BOY!)

Never Say Never

Lately, when people ask me what I've been up to- I draw a blank. Does this happen to anybody else? I guess now that I stay at home the days just seem to evaporate and I find myself having to really think hard about what we've done all week. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm busy. It's just different busy- not very memorable busy. That's one of the reasons I really like having the blog. Now, whenever people ask me what my life's been like lately I just try to remember about my last post.

On a side note, I just want to brag about my friends and family real quick. First of all, as many of you know, I live on the same street with some of my family and we've recently made a commitment, with some other amazing women, to get together as a group monthly. The guys are even getting together monthly and I'm really excited about it! I know some families can't even sit in the same room with each other and I'm so grateful that we know how to have a good time together. We've got some pretty outlandish activities I'm looking forward to and one of them just might include the phrase...Vegas Stripper University. Stay tuned for some future posts on that!

I have also met some incredible stay-at- home moms this past year that I've become really close with. We usually get together at least once a week and each week I get so excited about the play dates! Siege loves it too of course, but sometimes I think- Geez, I'd want to be a part of this play group even if I didn't have a kid! We also have some fantastic girls' nights out. The last time we went out together I didn't get home until 12:30 AM! Most people call me Grandma (I could go to bed at 8:30 every night), so when I got home past midnight I felt like I was sneaking in from curfew! It's crazy to think I probably would have never met these women if I didn't have Siege and now they've become some of my best friends. There's reason number 3524651654 that Siege has enriched my life.

So, what have I been up to lately? Well- I decided a few days ago that I was going to do another 1/2 marathon. It's December 4th (14 weeks away) and the course is the entire Las Vegas Strip. I've talked a few people into doing it with me, including my husband! I think I blogged about my last 1/2 marathon way back when, it didn't go quite as planned. I mean who plans to puke their guts out at mile 12? And after the race I repeatedly vowed to NEVER do another. "Never say never," my mom would always say. This time, I'm hoping it will go puke-free. No guarantees though. I started my training on Sunday with a 3 mile run. Pushing my little chunker up the hill isn't the easiest, but we made it! After I finished on Sunday I thought- Really? 10 more miles?? But you gotta start somewhere.

I've also started couponing. I took a couponing class about a week ago and I've decided I want to be on TV. Joking, but I do really want to save some skrillah if I can.

I just looked the word "skrillah" up in the urban dictionary for spelling purposes. Incase you're wondering variations of the word skrillah include skriller, skrill-dizzle and skahrill. Strait from Urban dictionary-

"If I don't get my skrillah by midnight, y'all gonna get capped!!"

Anyway, couponing...it doesn't seem too hard, or I should say, it seems like it's getting easier everyday. By the way, I'm collecting coupons now, so if you get the Sunday paper (I think it comes in your junk mail too) and don't use your Smart Source, Red Plum, or P & G, I would love to come dig it out of your trash can.

Last week was pretty miserable for Siegers... and me. Let's just say lots of Pedialite was involved, my washing machine was tested to its true limits, and I could smell the surprise I was walking into from across the house. He had a lot of rice that week. Glad we made it through that!

On Saturday, we had Siege's 1st year photo shoot. I had to get them done a little early in time for his birthday invitation. I haven't seen all the photos yet but my photographer (who also happens to be my lovely neighbor) Lisa Deering, sent me a sneak peak and I love it!

I can't believe my baby is going to be 1!

Nap Time Activities

Siege has been on a pretty consistent schedule for a few months now, which makes taking care of him so much easier. However, I started to fall into the "If Siege takes a nap, why shouldn't I?" pattern. Two naps a day for an adult, I've decided, just isn't the most efficient thing I could have been doing with my time, one of course, but two is a little much.

So my latest phone app, Pinterest (If you don't have it, get it), has inspired me in several ways. I'm sure all you bloggers already know all about it, but I just thought I'd publicly share my infinite love for this smart invention. Pinterest is a digital idea board that lets you pin different images/websites that you want to save for the future. For example, I've pinned sewing tutorials, fashion, recipes, etc. in hopes of one day creating these beautiful masterpieces. It also helps to organize your ideas into different categories. This is a little piece of my holiday pin board. Who knows if I will ever make these crafty things, but I sure like the idea of it being a possibility.

And, I have actually completed my first Pinterest-inspired project. I did a patchwork quilt. The sewing tutorial I pulled was so easy, even I could figure it out and I wasn't even entirely sure how to use my sewing machine before this project! Just call me Martha Stewart.

My latest nap time activity though, has been reading The Help. I cannot wait to see the movie now! I loved reading bits and pieces aloud to Chris. It was just hilarious! Anyone have any other really good book recommendations? I will read pretty much any genre as long as it's a can't wait to pick it up again and read sort of a book. You know, amazing.

I will leave you with a short video clip of Sieger eating my Taco Soup. It was a little spicy for all of us!

The Bling.

Over the last few weeks I have started to realize that my baby just isn't a baby anymore. I know a lot of women say "it happens too fast" and "time slow down," but I honestly didn't really feel like that until this last week or so as I was rocking my ginormous baby in my arms. I looked down and noticed that I couldn't see any of me anymore. It was all Siege... long, chunky Siege. He's in the 90th percentile now and he can WALK. And when I hold him I see that my little baby is rapidly turning into a toddler. Chris and I have been married for 5 years now and I swear the first 4 years of our marriage didn't go this fast. But when you can see time in little human form- it's a little scary.

Which brings me to my next topic- our five year anniversary. That's right, 5 years this month, and we've been together 9 years (over 1/3 of my life). Everyday I count my blessings that I have been lucky enough to find such a wonderful man. We are a perfect match in every way. He compliments my high strung- erratic behavior with a calmness that soothes my soul. And I put a little pep in his step. For our five year anniversary I got a new wedding ring. When Chris and I got engaged 5 years ago, I was 20 and he was 21. I was working at a bridal shop and Chris was going to school. We knew we were going to have to save our pennies if we were going to get married as young a we did. My ring was beautiful, but Chris always said one day I'd wake up and there'd be a big rock that replaced mine. Of course, I didn't care- it suited me well. But when he started hinting at a new ring a few months back I got a little excited. We started going into ring shops just to look around. All the salesman would greet us with the same line,

"You two engaged, Congratulations!"

And then Chris would inform them,

"No, we're already married and it's our five year anniversary so we're looking for an upgrade." One guy said in reply,

"Man, you're smart. Give her the 5 year trial period first and then give her the real bling. I know an awful lot of men who probably wished they would've done that."

He's the guy that ended up selling us our ring. I guess I'm glad I made it through the trial run.

Anyway, Chris sure makes me one happy woman... and not just because he picked out this beautiful ring for me. The morning of our anniversary I woke up from a deep sleep to see Chris kneeling down on the floor next to my side of the bed. He had this frustrated look on his face. After I wiped the drool off my pillow, I asked him what the heck he was doing. He informed me that for the past 1/2 hour he was trying to get my old ring off my finger and the new ring on without me waking up, but as he put it, "You're finger is just too fat." So even though I didn't wake up with my new big rock on my finger, it was still a good try.

Guilty

Last year at this time I was beginning to prep for year two in the classroom. Once August hits, it's pretty much time to get your butt in gear in the teaching world. I was reviewing my lessons for the first semester, getting my club meeting dates together for NJHS and preparing for the teachers to return for the first teacher-in-service day of the school year... Oh, how life changes.

Today I found myself changing poopy diapers, slicing up bananas and tending to my attention starved child. At least, that's what he insinuated as he cried for 30 minutes while I did the bills. It's hard to believe that just one year ago I was tending to the needs of hundreds of students at Brinley and now I have one little guy to chase around. My major concerns in life have shifted from data analysis, progress tracking, and school climate to changing Siege's diaper without getting poo smear on the floor.

Some days I just feel antsy and unaccomplished. And then I feel guilty for feeling antsy and unaccomplished because I am blessed enough to be able to watch my precious boy grow and change each day. I have to admit, I sure do laugh and smile a lot more now. Just this morning I watched as Siege shared his breakfast with Nadia. Siege had the biggest smile on his face as Nadi came to chomp down all the banana bits that didn't make it into Siege's mouth. He sure loves his puppy. Life is just a lot simpler now. Most days I love it- I really do, but just today (and I feel guilty even typing it) I'm wondering what life would be like if I went back to work.

I'm pretty sure it would suck though... LOL

Last Month's Adventures in Gifford-Land included...

1. San Diego Trip

I love San Diego. The weather is beautiful, and I could spend everyday of my life walking the boardwalk of Mission beach just people watching while listening to the sound of the ocean. Siege, on the other hand, didn't share the same enthusiasm for the boardwalk as I. We stuck him in the baby seat of the beach cruiser we rented while on Mission Beach.

Usually we'd rent these bikes all day and cruise around, find places to eat, and stop to lay on the beach for a while, but since we had Siege we figured we better just rent for two hours. Well after about 5 minutes the wailing started. People stared and gave us the, "I can't believe you're torturing your poor baby, who clearly hates that baby seat, and is maybe even motion sick from all that crazy riding," look. So, we ended up having to stop every five minutes to calm him down, which meant we really didn't get too far in that two hour time period. After pit stop number 4, I was starting to get annoyed and Chris was starting to worry about our kid's fun-ness level, so we decided to just keep riding. Who cares if he was screaming bloody murder, but then I got those stares again, so I started singing the Itsy-Bitsy-Spider nursery rhyme. It calmed him down instantly. The only problem was, every time I stopped, he would start wailing again. So in order to keep him from sobbing, I had to sing nursery rhymes the ENTIRE time. My voice was hoarse by the end of our ride, and I still got some interesting stares.

He also was not the biggest fan of the beach. He would nose dive in the sand, and sand just doesn't taste as delicious as sweet potato I guess. I think next year at this time the beach will be a little more fun. He's still just a wee bit too little. Besides those two unfortunate situations the trip was awesome. We went to the Long Beach aquarium with our good friends, Pete & Jen and their little girl Tehya. We also did the San Diego Zoo and had a blast there.

It has been a fun month of travel. It made me realize how important traveling is to me. It's something I want to incorporate into our lives at least annually. The memories are priceless, even if they involve voice-hoarsness from Itsy-Bitsy-Spider.

2. 4th of July Block Party

This year my Sister-in-Law and brother had the brilliant idea of throwing a block party on our street for the 4th of July. In the past the 4th has never been that cool of a holiday to me. Believe me, I'm very patriotic and love the USA and all, but we just never did anything that great on the 4th. I'm so excited about our new block party tradition on our cul-de-sac.

They invited a ton of people and everyone brought food and fireworks. The kids seriously lit fireworks for a good two hours, before they were all gone. It was also a great way to get to know the neighbors. And...Siege pretty much slept through the whole thing! It was awesome.

3. Krista & Pat's visit

Chris has a cousin that lives in Wyoming with the cutest two little girls. Krista stays at home with her girls and used to be a teacher, she's a fellow blogger and has a super sweet hubby. Needless to say, we have a lot in common. So, when she told the fam she'd be coming to Vegas I was so excited. We did a ton while she was here that included the Springs Preserve, the Dolphin Habitat, Ethel Em Chocolate Factory, and lots of family/baby time! I'm still exhausted from the week! I'm exhausted and I don't have two kids and didn't make the 14 hour drive here and didn't have to live out of a suitcase for a week, so I can't imagine how they're feeling. But, she handled her two little girls so well. She has a 22 month old and a 2 month old. Chris and I talk about when to have baby number two all the time and I have always been the one to say let's wait or I'm not ready (which I'm still not), but watching Krista with her two little girls made me think I could do it. This is definitely not a pregnancy announcement or a soon to be pregnancy announcement or anything, but she has given me a little more hope and encouragement. Anyway, we had a blast just chatting about our little ones and our amazing hubbys. It was a good time. This is a picture of little Leah playing in Siege's walker. She is such a smarty!

4. Jamie's Baby Shower

My sister-in-law Jamie, is due September 4th with my very first nephew! I'm excited for Siege to have a little cousin to play with at all the family gatherings. Here I thought, our kids would babysit all their cousins, but it sure will be fun to have another little baby around. After weeks of planning, I'm pretty excited with how it turned out. We had a delicious taco bar, thanks to my amazing mother who pretty much catered the event, and a few entertaining games. They got tons of stuff and it seemed to get them pretty excited for the arrival of their little one. I should have got more pictures of stuff happening, and maybe the happy couple, but I was too busy!

(Zoa is the baby's name)

5. Siegers has gotten EVEN cuter

Seriously. He is getting more and more cute and fun as each day passes. He has learned to pull himself up and climb on everything. He is starting to let go and stand on his own and has even taken a few steps (thanks to all his practicing with his Uncle GG). People keep telling me to put off walking as long as possible, but Uncle GG has it in for me I guess. Every time he comes over his goal is to get Siege to talk a little farther. And, while I know this is gonna be big trouble for me, I can't help but think of how cute it is! Check facebook for the video. Anyway, life in Gifford-Land has been pretty good lately. Chris and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary soon! I can't believe it's already been almost 5 years.

Chee-kah-Go (as my mom would say)

I've been home almost a full week now and I am finally starting to feel back to normal. The trips were amazing, but they really took it out of me. Traveling with a baby is no easy task. Don't get me wrong, Siege was really great those two weeks, but babies are just demanding. When they want to eat they want to eat 10 minutes ago and it doesn't matter if you're riding the subway or in the Van Gogh room at the Art institute or that it's 4AM and you just got home at midnight. My bubba likes to eat and when he's full he's happy, but when he's hungry he turns into Baby Evil. Good thing I packed lots of food.

I guess I'll start with Chicago. My mom told me she was going a few months back and I sort of invited myself on the trip. "Well, I stay at home now, and Chris is working that whole week..." So, when she asked if I wanted to go, I jumped at the opportunity. I had never been to Chicago and I wasn't expecting it to be as awesome as it was. The city is so old and beautiful. And just amidst all the skyscraper flows the Chicago River. I have decided that taking the architectural tour down that river was one of my favorite things. While you're listening to the tour guide talk about all the beautiful buildings you get an aroma of chocolate from the chocolate factory that operates close to the river. Just wonderful.

The Willis, formely known as the Sears, Tower was another highlight. It has these glass decks you can stand on and see strait down to the street. Very freaky. I also learned that when it gets windy the top of the tower can move up to 18 inches. Thank God it was a wind-free day. I was dizzy just looking out into the city, I can't imagine moving.

There's nothing like Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. It's so good! I've been dreaming about it ever since we got home. It's more of like a pie crust, but layered with deliciousness. I had two massive slices.

Going to Wrigley Field was one of the first things we did.

It was so fun to watch the game with a Chicago hotdog in hand (Seriously, the food was just what I was hoping for, however my waste line doesn't feel the same way about it). Plus, the Cubs were playing the Yankees and they won! And I can't forget to mention Uncle Wally. Yes, I carried Uncle Wally's ashes into the ball game so that Dennis' family could spread them onto Wrigley Field. This was also a little freaky. But, it was the man's dying wish. Glad my diaper bag could be of service. Oh, and a man's ashes looks an awful lot like baby formula. I'm pretty sure we dumped the right ziplock bag.

We went to the Shedd Aquarium, which I think was my favorite of all the places on our city pass. The Jellies Exhibit was so neat. The Field museum was a close second. Our last day there was spent at Six Flags. I hadn't been since high school and I'd forgoten how much I love roller coasters. I had a blast that day, while my mom got some quality grandma time in.

A big Thank you goes out to Aunt Kathy for letting us stay at her house for the duration of the week. She has this amazing Great Dane that loved Siegers. He was about as big as a pony. Her home was beautiful, lots of trees.

I guess I will save San Diego for another post, since my Sieger's is up from his nap. While we were away he said 2 words, "No" and "Mama" (not really sure I can count them officially) and got 3 more teeth! He's 9 months today.

The Killer B's

On Saturday, my friend Krista went to the REI tent sale and found these snazzy baby carriers for hiking.

She called and asked if we wanted one too, so I guess we're getting into hiking. Chris and I have gone a few times, but the last time we went was about a year ago. With this new carrier we're going to try to hit the trails once a month. The way the carrier is designed, it distributes the weight in your hips more than on your back. Well, that's what the guys said anyway, it's not like I wore it. Anyway, after the hike we did Sunday, I've realized that I am out of shape. I did that exact trail when I was pregnant, yes pregnant, and I don't remember it being that hard. That's when Chris said, "It looks like you're no longer that triathlete you used to be." Ha! Well, he's right. But, I'm sure it will get easier the more we go. We didn't exactly take it easy for our first hike of the summer. I think it was about 6 miles. And of course we had to take Nadi Girl.

Besides the dry heaving the last mile, she did good. Like I said, it was a long trail.

Krista and I have known each other since freshmen year at the good ol' Las Vegas High School. We played volleyball together, student council, hung out with the same friends, and we even worked at Star Nursery together, don't worry we didn't wear twin outfits to school or anything.

It's just easier to be outgoing when you've got a friend that will do it all with ya. We got married within a year of each other and our hubby's both played Wildcat football. So, when she told me she was pregnant with Brett, I felt my biological clock tickin. I remember thinking, "Wow, I guess it's time." Chris and I got pregnant 3 months later. And as if that wasn't close enough, Siege came 6 weeks early. He must have sensed his playmate from the womb. I have to say it's awesome having a friend with a baby the same age as your own. Chris calls them the "Killer B's" for Brett & Brady, even though Siege is never called Brady. That kid might just have an identity crisis. Anyway, they sure are cute when they play together.